1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to automatic chemical-feeder apparatus for metered treatment of pipeline water, and more specifically it relates to devices for improved ease of maintenance of those types of building-plumbing related equipment.
2. Relevant Prior-Art
Background research discovery has provided a prior patent-art regarded as germane to this disclosure identified as U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,870(Filed: August 1963, assigned to Stiles-Kem Div./Metro-corp.) showing a bypass-type chemical-dissolver unit with a slanted-slotiet agitator internal structure, plus a simple air/bleed-screw arranged atop the filler-cap; xe2x80x94this patent having passed term and now in the public-domain, is nevertheless presently still in popular use, but is today considered rather deficient as to ease of maintenance, xe2x80x94which are issues to be addressed in my instant disclosure hereof.
Therefore, in full consideration of the preceding patent reference, there is determined a need for an improved form of device to which this patent has been largely addressed. The instant inventor hereof believes their newly improved bypass chemical-dispenser apparatus exhibits certain advantages as shall be revealed in the subsequent portion of this instant disclosure.
In view of the foregoing discussion about the earlier invention art, it is therefore important to make it pellucid to others interested in the art that the object of this invention is to provide an improved chemical water-treatment canister apparatus for dispensing existing commercially available product-additives generally characterized as a dry-granulated or solid ingredient (which suspends and inactivates mineral elements found to be deliterous to both commercial and domestic pressurized water-lines and inhibit corrosion of equipment connected thereto); xe2x80x94and must thus be periodically replenished owing to its being blended in a metered manner into the building""s existing pressurized water-pipe system via a so-called bypass plumbing-circuit. The non-toxic chemical-compound forms inert complexes with certain metalic ions in water, such as iron copper nickel manganese silicon and zinc; and acts to form a microscopic-film upon the internal surfaces of both the pressurized cold and hot water-line plumbing.
This known bypass-circuit is connected to the building""s existing pressurized waterline via a 3-way fitting (with a shut-off valve for selective blocking of water-flow to the canister), thus facilitating an influent-line which is arranged in discrete fluid-communication with a probe like influent-tube feeding the water-treatment canister. In similar manner, another 3-way fitting (with a shut-off valve for selective blocking of water-flow from the canister) is arranged a foot or two downstream of the influent-line, and is in discrete fluid-communication to an effluent-line located generally proximal the apex region of the canister (although the effluent-line can optionally be located upon the the optional filler-neck of the canister). Additionally, centered between these two identified 3-way fittings facilitating the bypass-circuit, is necessarily also included some form of constriction such as a venturi or a restriction in the form of a conventional fluid-valve; thereby establishing a pressure-differential means by which incoming water is induced to become partially diverted into the bypass-circuit.
A.) Accordingly, a preferably screw-threaded service-cap is installed upon the filler-neck of an imperforate canister body having an optional contiguous filler-neck provided with preferably female/screw-threads for receiving the service-cap member (if no filler-neck is employed per""se, then my service-cap is arranged at the apex of the water-treatment canister). In order to obviate the heretofore problem of possibly installing the service-cap with air remaining trapped within the canister, a more convenient bleed-valve device is provided, enabling a maintenance-person to secure the service-cap in place; then with water-pressure restored within the canister, momentarily depress a pushbutton poised atop the bleed-valve""s vertically spring-biased plunger-pin, until a solid stream of unaerated-water only is observed to erupt from around the bleed-valve at the top of the service-cap, xe2x80x94indicating that any entrapped-air has been at once thoroughly expelled (thus assuring the fresh unsaturated-water flowing in the canister will become properly saturated with the water borne chemical particulates). Naturally, prior to routine servicing of the canister, both the influent-valve and the effluent-valve are necessarily closed, as to obviate precipitous water-flow disrupting maintenance procedures. Hence, a secondary function of my special bleed-valve equipped service-cap, is to conveniently vent-off prevailing hydraulic-pressure once the two water-line shut-off valves (influent and effluent) have been closed.
In the prior-art methodology, the prevailing hydraulic-pressure within the canister (remaining therein even once the two water-line shut-off valves have been closed) tends to make unscrewing of the service-cap more difficult, plus there is always a residual amount of air remaining within the canister even though the service-technician may take precautions that the canister filler-neck is overflowing with water during restoration of the service-cap. Heretofore, a secondary procedure to overcome this problem was being addressed by provision of a problematical bleed-screw to vent-out any remaining canister entrapped air. Not only was this bleed-screw subject to eventual stripping-out (either of the compression-seal, screw-slot, or screw-threads) after months and years of use, but unfortunately, owing to the usual rush of things, some service-technicians may not take the time (or simply forget) to properly conduct this further procedure (which necessitates taking a screw-driver and backing-out the bleed-screw for a moment, once the water-line""s two shut-off valves have been reopened). Accordingly, if these procedures are not followed properly, the prior-art systems fail to operate effectively, and customer complaints require time consuming follow-up return-trips; xe2x80x94which my improved pushbutton service-cap apparatus and related procedure thus serve to ameliorate.
B.) Another object of this invention disclosure is to set forth an improved water-treatment canister article according to item-A, wherein is also provided an accessory locking-sleeve device arranged coaxially around the canister""s filler-neck and its attendant service-cap member; thereby serving to prevent unwarranted removal of the canister""s service-cap member. Prior-art locking-devices have been known, but largely fail to provide the degree of service-cap security needed, generally owing to the devices not being tamper-proof (as shall be subsequently exhibited in my accompanying illustrations. The upper terminus of the locking-sleeve is thus necessarily sufficiently occluded as to prevent the possibility of extracting the service-cap upward with the locking-sleeve in place, while the lower terminus of the locking-sleeve includes a vertical relief-slot enabling the canister filler-neck""s horizontally effluent-tube to be received upwardly therein. The locking-sleeve includes a radially extending bifurcated-flange (pair of rigid tab like members) arrangement, through each of which are included a transverse-hole where through can be installed the usual U-shaped finger-shackle portion of a conventional padlock, thus creating a rigid transverse abutment preventing tampering until the padlock""s shackle is withdrawn from its position crossing beneath the rigidly connected effluent pipe member.
C.) Another object of this invention disclosure is to set forth an improved water-treatment canister article according to items-AandB, wherein is also provided a concave, or more preferably a convex canister bottom portion to which central vertical-axis is included a permanent coaxial stub fitting made with screw-threads, preferably of female pipe-thread configuration (although machine/screw-threads of male configuration are optional); xe2x80x94thereby readily facilitating the canister being supported upon rigid stanchions of different types according to the particular custom installation conveniences at hand (such as a basement-floor, adjacent existing water/gas-pipe, adjacent-wall, etc.).
D.) Another object of this invention disclosure is to set forth an improved water-treatment canister article according to items-A/B/C, wherein is also preferably provided an instructional-label serving as an aid to the laymen (xe2x80x94herein, a person not having expertise knowledge in maintenance of this water-treatment system) in such event immediate diagnose is desirable to address some problem with the system (such as for example: xe2x80x9cleakagexe2x80x9d). If a water-leak in the dispenser-unit plumbing circuit were discovered, the building-manager/maintenance-person must phone to alert the service-provider; xe2x80x94in the meanwhile, any water leaking from the associated plumbing-circuit can cause water-damage to the surrounding structures. Accordingly, the water-treatment system is always installed with a pair of cooperative isolation/shut-off valves, plus a precautionary label bearing rudimentary shut-off advisory is thus prominently exhibited upon my canister body; thereby enabling expedient remedial leakage-stop procedure to be conducted by anyone.